Posts by Marianna Litovich
Announcement: Adoption Subsidies
Have you received a notice of suspension from the DCF Adoption Subsidy Unit, despite having turned in all necessary renewal paperwork? During these pandemic times, many of us have. AOK looked into this issue and was able to get the following information from Nakeisha Conward, the Director of the Subsidy Unit. Here is what she…
Read MoreThe Waiting Game
But before that kind of waiting, there’s another kind of waiting… The waiting that happens before you get your first placement. That can be the hardest waiting of all.
Read MoreKeynote Address: Children’s Study Home 2019 Meeting
On June 6, 2019, I shared the keynote address with State Rep. Tricia Farley-Bouvier (D-Pittsfield) at the Children’s Study Home Annual Meeting. Rep. Farley-Bouvier shared some information about the Foster Parents Bill of Rights, and her legislative advocacy at the state level. I talked about the challenges of being on the front lines of foster…
Read MoreSix years later: Reflecting on our “gotcha” moment
Mind blowing. Honestly, it’s mind blowing. Just hours after Marianna and I recorded the latest episode of the AOK podcast, during which I made reference to my family’s finalization day–a moment I referred to as “three years ago”–a happenstance Facebook memory served me up the reality. It was actually six years ago. Six. Freaking. Years.…
Read MoreNational Adoption Day Makes Them A Family of Three
When Tani and Carlos Rivera set out to create their family, they both agreed on fostering to adopt. They envisioned their family with maybe a sibling set, especially one that was already legally free for adoption. “That was our plan,” Tani said. They didn’t picture a newborn. But it never really works out according to…
Read MoreInstant Family has some hidden gems
Heather Adams, journalist and AOK board member, not only got a sneak peek of Instant Family – a new movie about the foster care experience – but also got to chat with the writer and director. Read more to hear her take! Have plans to go see Instant Family this weekend? Maybe you’re waiting until…
Read MoreNo More Empty Nest
As an empty nester, Candice Tauscher wasn’t looking to take up a new hobby like golfing or gardening, she was ready to fill her nest again through foster care. “We probably move more slowly than the other parents,” Candice said. But Candice and her husband, Brian, are just as involved as those first-timers, attending football…
Read MoreShe Could Have Been My Daughter
The first time I held her in my arms, she was only weeks old. Her tiny body nestled between my arm and my belly, contorted in that squishy way newborns often look. It was an outdoor party in the summer, and she was wearing a short-sleeved onesie over her itty bitty diaper, her…
Read MoreAOK’s founder featured in Business West’s “40 Under 40” Class of 2018
40 Under Forty is a celebration of young business and civic leaders in Western Massachusetts. Our founder, Dr. Marianna Litovich, was selected as part of the class of 2018 and honored during a gala in June.
Read MoreAOK Founder receives 2018 Champions for Children award
Our founder, Dr. Marianna Litovich, received the Champions for Children award at the Child Advocacy Center’s Annual Breakfast in 2018.
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